Guest Lecturer #2

Lecture 2

In the second lecture with Steve Gullick we began by recapping what we had covered in the week before, and then continued discussing the topic of Governors.

This week we discussed what contact governors and teaching staff have. We were given 6 occasions where the governors would meet with staff.

1. Job Interviews - Governors do not have to attend interviews if they do not feel they are needed, but in most cases there are usually between 2 to 5 governors present. If a governor is to attend an interview they will have to get time off work as the interviews will take place in the day. A governors vote Governors vote is equal to that of the headteacher during this process. This important task draws up the questions "Should Governors be paid?", and "Should governors be experts or stakeholders?", as stakeholders may not understand some of the more technical interview questions.

2. Informal Visits to Schools - There are two groups of people who cannot be stopped from entering the school premises. These are school inspectors and members of the governing body.

3. Celebrations e.g. School Concerts and Productions - Prize giving evenings usually have the chair of governors to present awards or make a short introductory speech.

4. Presentations at Governing Body Meetings - A teacher may be asked to attend a governing meeting and give a presentation, These teachers are usually the subject heads within the school.

5. Link Governors and their Visits - SENCO should include children who are gifted and talented. There should be an SEN Governor who links with the SENCO. It is this governors job to find out what is being done to help those with SEN and what can be improved. This role however, draws the question "Should a governor be an expert or stakeholder?" as SEN includes children who don't speak English as their first language, and traveller children. How can someone with no training be expected to be aware of all SENS's?

6. Staff Disciplinary Committee Meetings - Governors discipline staff. On the Staff Disciplinary Committee there are between 3 and 5 governors (an odd number for a deciding vote). If the head wishes a teacher to go before the Disciplinary Committee a letter is issued inviting the teacher to a hearing and allowing the option to bring a "friend" (this can be a literal friend or a member of their Union). They will then go before the governors and the head will also be present, as will a clerk. The head will be first to state their case and then the governors will have the opportunity to ask any questions. The teacher can then offer a counter-argument and again the governors can ask questions. There are four possible outcomes as these meetings:
1. No charges to be made and the case is dismissed.
2. A written warning will be given and will go on the teachers record, to be removed after a year providing improvements have been made.
3. A final warning which the teacher can request to be removed after a year.
4. Dismissal.




I found this lecture very interesting as Governors are expected to contribute so much to a school for nothing in return.